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Nummus at christogram - Theudebert I Marseille mint
| Issuer | Frankish Kingdom |
|---|---|
| Year | 534-548 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | Log in to see details |
| Currency | Denier (670-750) |
| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Royal monogram of Theudebert I occupying the central field, formed by interlaced Latin letters rendered in bold relief within a plain border. The monogram is composed of the letters of the king's name intertwined in the Merovingian regal tradition, executed in a somewhat crude but deliberately structured hammered style. The field surrounding the monogram is flat and unadorned, with no additional legend or inscription. A beaded or cable border encircles the design at the periphery. The overall execution reflects the late antique and early Merovingian coinage tradition derived from Byzantine nummus prototypes. |
|---|---|
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| Reverse script | Latin |
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| Additional information |
Theudebert I was the first Frankish king to strike coins in his own name rather than in the name of the Byzantine emperor — a deliberate break from the convention his predecessors had maintained. This piece from the Marseille mint dates to the period following the Frankish annexation of Provence in 536, when Theudebert gained control of the Mediterranean port and its established mint infrastructure. The Justinian I who nominally still claimed suzerainty over these territories reportedly protested the presumption bitterly.
Marseille's access to eastern trade networks meant bronze continued circulating here long after it fell out of use in more interior Frankish territories.